Sermon 6 - Stay Alive And Alert Series

Introduction:

A. One of the scariest things about young children is the fact that they are naïve and uninhibited.

1. These pictures I am showing on the screen make every parent gasp because of the danger.

B. I am going to date myself with this illustration: How many of you remember the old Popeye the Sailor Man cartoons?

1. The Popeye comic strip first appeared in 1929 (contrary to what you might think - I don’t go back that far).

2. Over the years, Popeye has appeared in comic books, television cartoons, video games, and advertisements.

a. Pictured here are Popeye, Olive Oyl, Sweet Pea, Bluto, Wimpy, and Eugene the Jeep.

3. Do you remember Popeye’s theme song?

a. “I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. I'm strong to the finich, cause I eats me spinach. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.”

4. Anyhow, the reason I am bringing up the Popeye cartoon is the little baby named Sweet Pea was always getting into dangerous situations because of the baby’s naiveté.

5. In one episode, baby Sweet Pea got loose in a factory and crawled among the gears, saws and crushers.

6. In another episode, baby Sweet Pea got loose at the zoo and was playing around the allegator, elephant and hippopotamus.

7 Do you see the pattern…young children don’t know how to protect themselves from dangers.

8. Those were some pretty scary moments for Popeye as he had to come to the rescue of Sweet Pea in all of those situation.

9. Perhaps Popeye and Olive Oyl should have kept a closer eye on Sweet Pea, just sayin’.

C. One of the primary reasons that Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians was to protect the young Christians at Colossae from the spiritual dangers that faced them.

1. The Colossian Christians were spiritually young and naïve.

2. They were unaware of the danger that the false teachers posed.

3. So, Paul wrote to warn them and to give them the information and instruction they needed to avoid and overcome the dangers they faced.

4. The world today still contains spiritual dangers that we need to protect ourselves and especially young Christians from, whether those dangers are heresy, bad influences, or temptation.

5. Let’s take a look at what Paul shared with the Colossians, because what was helpful for them will be helpful for us as well.

I. Paul’s First Instruction: Keep Making Spiritual Progress (2:4-7)

A. Paul wrote: 4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable. 5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ. 6 So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, 7 being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude. (Col. 2:4-7)

1. In many respects, if a person is not growing in Christ, then they are dying in Christ.

2. Although it might be possible to stand still in Christ, it is not advisable.

3. In reality, we are either going forward in Christ, or we are gradually slipping backward.

4. That is the nature of life and the nature of living things.

5. Plants are either growing and adding new branches and leaves, or they are regressing and are in the process of dying.

B. In verses 6 & 7, Paul used several word pictures that describe what spiritual progress looks like.

1. Our spiritual progress began when we first “received Christ Jesus as Lord” and that occurred when we put our faith in Jesus, repented of our sins and were immersed in water for the forgiveness of our sins – that’s when our spiritual life began – when we were born again.

2. The first picture of making spiritual progress after receiving Christ Jesus as Lord is to continue in to “live in Him” or “walk in Him.”

a. Being born again and beginning a saving relationship with Jesus is crucial, but it is something that has to continue…it isn’t a one and done type of a thing.

b. We must continue to live in Him and walk with Him.

c. This is the picture of someone walking on a journey with God.

d. The concept of walking with God in relationship is not a new concept with Christianity, but is seen throughout biblical history.

1. Enoch walked with God (Gen. 5:22).

2. Noah was a righteous man who walked with God (Gen. 6:9).

3. Moses instructed God’s people to “walk in all the ways that the Lord your God has commanded you” (Dt. 5:33).

4. The Psalmist said, “I will walk continually in your truth” (Ps. 26:3).